f you're like most busy people, you probably eat out a lot. If you don't cook, then the likelihood that you're eating food prepared by someone else is pretty high. It can be difficult to eat healthfully when you don't know what's in your food or how it's prepared. So instead of teaching you how to cook or becoming your personal chef, I'm going to tell you about some unhealthy menu items to avoid when dining out.

To be perfectly honest, you're not going to find a lot of restaurants that make your health their first priority. Their job is to make your food taste good. The easiest (but not necessarily the best) way to do this is to cook with lots of butter, oil, and salt. They also want to give you value for your dollar, so portion sizes tend to range from large to gargantuan. Research shows that when larger portions of food are presented to people, they tend to eat more than if smaller portions are presented. But it's not just how much you eat, it's what you eat that counts, too.

If you cook, you're probably good at recognizing items that tend to be higher in fat and calories. If you're culinarily-challenged, however, you might not know that a "cutlet" or "Milanese" preparation of meat or chicken is breaded and then fried in oil or butter. You might also not be aware that a cutlet would be a better choice than something cooked "parmigiana" style, since it would be breaded, fried, smothered in tomato sauce and cheese, and then baked.

The following is a glossary of cooking terms that tend to indicate that a food is high in fat and calories:

Caveat Eater: Watch Out for these Words

Term	Description
Alfredo	A sauce made with butter, parmesan cheese, and cream
Au Gratin	In cheese sauce
Batter-Fried	Dipped in bread or starchy batter and then fried
Béarnaise	A sauce made with egg yolks, butter, and wine
Breaded	Food is dipped in bread crumbs before cooking (usually fried)
Beurre Blanc	A sauce made with butter and wine
Buttered or Buttery	Butter is added (usually liberally)
Creamed or Creamy	Cream is added (usually liberally)
Crispy	Describes the texture of the food; usually obtained by frying
Deep-Fried	Food is submerged in a large quantity of hot oil or other fat
Double Crust	Twice the amount of crust
En Croute	Means in a crust, usually a flaky, buttery Phyllo or croissant-type crust
Escalloped or Scalloped	Cooked with cream or milk and usually cheese
French-Fried	Food is sliced into strips, and then deep fried
Hollandaise	A sauce made with egg yolks and butter
Oil Marinated	A food is left to sit in seasoned oil for a set amount of time
Pan-Fried or Sautéed	Fried in a pan using oil or butter in moderate quantities
Pastry	A sweet or savory dough made with flour and lots of butter
Pesto	A sauce made with olive oil, pine nuts, and cheese
Rich	Means a lot of fat is used

You don't need to avoid these foods at all costs, but try to eat them less frequently than healthier choices. You may have noticed that a lot of the glossary entries involve sauces, and for good reason. Sauces can add lots of calories to perfectly healthy foods. Plain doesn't have to be the name of the game, though. Toppings such as fresh salsa, marinara or other tomato sauces barbecue sauce, vinaigrette, mustard, and chutney are usually low in calories and fat but still add flavor. Following is a glossary of cooking terms that indicate that a food is probably prepared in a healthful manner:

Green-Light Glossary

Term	Description
Baked	Cooked in an oven using dry heat
Barbecued or Grilled	Food is basted in a seasoned sauce and cooked over an open flame
Braised	Cooked in liquid over low heat for a long time
Broiled	Cooked in an oven directly under a heat source
Chutney	Condiment made with fruit, vinegar, and spices; sometimes spicy
Lightly Sautéed	Cooked quickly with a small amount of fat in a pan over direct heat
Marinara	An Italian sauce made with tomatoes, onions, and spices
Poached	Food is gently cooked in a liquid or a sauce other than fat
Roasted	Cooked uncovered in an oven to produce a browned exterior
Salsa	A flavorful sauce made with fresh vegetables and herbs
Steamed	Cooked quickly in a covered pot just above boiling water
Stir-Fried	Cooked quickly in a very hot pan with a minimum amount of fat
Vinaigrette	A sauce or salad dressing made with oil, vinegar, and spices

Sometimes menus aren't very descriptive, so feel free to ask your server about how items are prepared. Tell your server that you're trying to eat healthfully. Ask which fresh, steamed vegetables can be substituted for the more high-calorie accompaniments, like mashed potatoes. Also, ask for fish and chicken to be grilled or broiled plain. Then, add some fresh salsa or other light topping on the side. Don't forget that you can request that certain ingredients, like cheese, be withheld, and other ingredients, like tomatoes, be added. Remember: don't be afraid to ask for what you want — you're the customer.

If you don't have a lot of time to cook or don't feel like eating out, Gelson's has some healthy options for you, too. I've developed a line of foods in our service deli called Recipes From Jessica's Kitchen, which uses healthy ingredients to create tasty, nutritious fare. Our salad bar also offers excellent choices and convenience for those looking for a fast and healthy veggie-based meal. Finally, a few of our stores are now offering 500-calorie meals in our refrigerated take-out cases. These complete meals offer all components of a balanced meal, right down to the dark chocolate dessert.

I know that eating out is often unavoidable but it can and should also be pleasurable. Now that you have the tools to navigate restaurant menus, you should be able to build healthy meals anywhere you eat. Sometimes, however, you just want to enjoy your food the way it comes, and you should — just remember that leaving some food on your plate is always a good strategy when you're watching your weight and your health.